Elevator



Oct. 23, 1928.

H. V. M CORMICK ELEVATOR Filed Jan. 24, 1927 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 x WM H. V. M CORMICK UctJZ3, 1928.

ELEVATOR Filed Jan. 24, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet. 2

H. V. M CORMICK ELEVATOR Filed Jan. 24, 1927 5 Sheets-Shae; 3

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Patented Oct. 23, 19.28.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD V. MCCORMICK, 0F LONG BEACH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SI-IUR LOO ELE- VA'IOR SAFETY CO. INC, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION- OF NEW YORK.

ELEVATOR.

Application filed. January 24, 1927. Serial No. 163,032.

This invention relates to devices for controlling the movement of elevator cars and to devices for eifecting and controlling the movement of elevator doors. One object of the invention is to provide improved means where by the opening of the elevator door shall be prevented until the car has been brought sub stantially to rest, whether the car be moving under power or by its own momentum. Another object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby the positioning of the car substantially at the floor level must be accomplished before the door can be opened. Still another object is to provide improved means for effecting the movement of the door whereby the speed of movement of the door shall be controlled and the momentum of the door in approaching either extreme position shall be overcome in such manner as to prevent shocks, regardless of the weight of the door. Also in accordance with the invention provision is made whereby engagement between the door and its operating means is effected through the initial movement of such means.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which: I

Figure 1 a view in elevation, partly diagrammatic, showing so much of an elevator and its appurtenances as is necessary to enable the application of the invention to be understood.

Figure 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly diagrammatic, illustratingthe electromagneticdevices and the electrical connections thereof for controlling the movements of the car and of the door and the mechanical devices through which the movement of the door is controlled.

Figure 9f is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the mechanical devices shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a detail view in sectional elevation illustrating particularly the devices for effecting and controlling the movement of the door.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views inelevation illustrating in different positions the connections between the door and its actuating device.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, an elevator car a is arranged to be moved inanelevator shaft Z) by any usual or suitable hoisting mechanism sui'liciently indicated by the cable 0, a Wind ing drum 0, which may be located on the floor of the pent house, and a motor indicated at 0 in Figure 2. The power to move the door, which in this instance is the shaft door, is shown as supplied by a motor driven air compressor d, which is connected through an equalizing tank a, a pipe (Z and a slack hose d" with a valve (Z on the car through which air under pressure is admitted to the door motor, hereinafter described, to move the door in one direction or the other. The valve (2 is controlled by means to be described hereinafter. Current to actuate the motor 0 may be supplied from any suitable source through feed Wires 0, f, and the main elevator control panel, indicated at g in Figure 1, while its arrangement is shown in detail in Figure 2, connection being made through a cable 9 with the controller {j on the car and through the cable g with an electro-magnetic device 9 on the car for operating the valve (Zflthis' device being shown in the present instance as a stalled motor, to be more particularly referred to hereinafter. Connection is also madefrom the control panel, as at g, with a circuit controlling magnet g, which may be located at any convenient point, preferably in proximity to the control panel in the pent house.

The door-controlling valve d" is shown as a four-way valve, having a connection for the feed pipe d", an exhaust port and connections for pipes (Z, d, to opposite ends of a power cylinder it mounted on the ca The piston 72/ is fixed on a rod /L2 which carries a rack it in engagement with a segment M. The latter is fixed on the axis 7L5 of a toggle lever 72/. The coat-ting toggle lever ii is connected with a slide k mounted to reciprocate on rails 72.9 on the car. The slide it carries two inter-connected and coacting arms h which, normally in inactive or retracted position, as shown in Figure 5, may be swung to extended 'position, as shown in Figure 4., to engage between them a bar 2' secured to the shaft door 2'. The arms h are held normally in inactiveor retracted position by a spring 71, which may be applied to one of them and are swung to extended po sition. in the initial movement of the slide h by the coaction of a roller carrying arm 72, on one of the arms or jaws [L and a fixed bar it. lVhen the slide h is in the extreme position which corresponds to the closed position of the door, the roller of the armh is slightother suitable liquid.

1y beyond the end of the bar h, as shown in Figure 5, but as soon as the movement of the slide begins the roller of the arm his drawn upon the bar it and the jaws-h are moved from the retracted position shown in Figure to the extended or active position shown in Figure 4, grasping the bar ibetween them.

In the fully closed position of the door 2" it is locked in closed position by a latch 1?, which engages a toothed rack i secured to the frame of the shaft. The latch 2' forms one member of a'spring pressed bell crank 6 i the other member 2'" of which is acted upon in the closing movement of the jaws k to disengage the latch 2' from the toothed rack It will be seen, tlieretorc, that until the movement of the door opening device is initiated the door itself is held locked against movement.

Provision is made for controlling the movement of the slide [L8 and therefore of the door with it so as to prevent shocks when the door reaches the limit oi its movement in either direction, regardless of the weight of the door. To accomplish this purpose there associated with the door moving means a retardation device, such as that illustrated particularly in Figure 3. As there shown, the piston rod 72, carries a piston it arranged to reciprocate in a cylinder 7.: which has associated therewith a reservoir Z: for oil or For convenience in construction, the cylinder 7.: is provided with a liner 7.2 which has near each end a large inlet port Z2 for communication with the reservoir 76', and adjacent the inlet port in a longitudinal series of outlet ports The wall of the cylinder carries a spring closed inlet valve is for each inlet port 70 and may be formed with a large outlet port k for each series or group of outlet ports 70* in the liner 7: The ports Z: are so designed as to size as to provide in the aggregate a substantially free outlet for the oil from the corresponding end of the cylinder /e to the reservoir and therefore create but little resistance to the movement of the piston It and, through its connection with the piston it, of the latter also and ot the door which, through the operating devices, moves with it. Throughout the greater part o't its movement the door is therefore moved rapidly, but as it ap proaches the limit ot its movement in either direction the piston h overlaps in succession the ports In of the corresponding group and successively closes them against the outlet of the oil, increasing the resistance until all of the outlet ports of that group are closed and the piston it and the parts connected with it are brought to rest. The inlet valve at the other end of the cylinder 70, opening inward from the reservoir 7a to the interior of the cylinder Zz, permits free movement of the oil into the cylinder behind the piston.

The movable member (Z of the four-way valve cl is so controlled in its movement that motive power cannot be applied for the open ing of the elevator door unless the car is substantially at the level of a floor. There is therefore placed at each floor lever a cam shaped resistance device Z, the resistance of which permits such movement or? the movable valve member (Z as is necessary to effect opening movementof the door. If the car is not approximately at the floor level, so as to permit coaction of the resistance device Z with an element carried by the car, the movable valve member 6Z7 cannot have such movement and the door tl'ieretore will not be opened except by the operation of some emergency device.

In the en'ibodimeut ot the invention illustrated, an arm (Z of the movable valve member (Z is connected by a link Z with an arm Z of a weighted segment Z" which is held normally in elevated position by the electromotive device or stalled motor 9', previously mentioned, so long as such electro-motive device energized. It is also retained in its elevated position by a bell crank latch Z pivoted on another arm Z of the weighted segment Z", the latch normally engaging a fixed detent Z to hold the segment in elevated position. The other arm of the bell crank latch Z* is connected, as by a link Z with a roller-carrying arm Z mounted on the car in position to coact with the cam-shaped stop or resistance device or element Z at the floor level at which the car is to be stopped. \Vhen the car stopped at a floor level or otherwise, the electro-motive device 9 is (lo-energized and the weighted segment Z is free to act to shift the movable valve member (Z it' not prevented by the latch Z It the car is stopped at a floor level, so that the rollercarrying arm Z may coact with the 1""istance element Z, the initial movement of the segment Z by reason of the resistance offered by the resistance device Z, the arm 7*, the link Z and the shorter arm of the bell crank latch Z, causes the bell crank latch to bedisengaged from the detent Z so as to permit eontiuued, effective movement of the weighted segment Z. If, however, the car is not at a floor level and no resistance is oilercd to the movement of the roller-carrying arm Z the latch Z will not be disengaged from the dctent Z and etl'ective movement of the weighted segment Z cannot take place.

The electrical devices and connections by which the movements of the car and of the door are controlled are illustrated in Figure 2-. For the most part, except as hereinafter indicated, they are arranged and function substantially in the same manner as electrical controlling devices heretofore employed. One of the feed wires, as f, is connected through conductors f", f of the cable 9" and the usual interlock switch with the terminals f f arranged to be connected through Inn LJI

the controller 7 with the terminals 7", 7 respectively, the latter being connected through conductors f, 7' with the other feed wire c through the respective magnets f. Through the switches m, a and m, n, operated in pairs by the magnets f and 7' respectively current is supplied to the armature of the elevator motor 0 in one direction or the other, through the conductors m n and the brushes hf, n or the motor, to drive the hoisting drum in one direction or the oth r. The lield coils of the motor 0 are energised from the feed wires 6, f, through direct connections e, 0 It will be observed that conductors m and a supply current from conductors m and n to the coils oi? the relay magnet g, the coils of this magnet being connected in parallel with the coils of the arn'iature of the elevator motor 0 Accordingly, so long as the armature of the direct current motor 0 is rotating above a certain predetermined minimum speed the coils of the magnet 9 will continue to be energized, notwithstanding the opening by the switches m, n of the connection to the feed wires 6, 7, and through such energization of the magnet g its armature will continue to be held toward the magnetso as to close at the terminals 0, 0 the circuit from the main ieed wires by the branches e and the conductor 0 through the coils of the door controlling electromotive device 9*. It will be noted that a push button switch 6 will be inserted between the branches a and e to close the circuit to the coils of the electro-motive device 9* for the purpose of ell ecting closure of the door.

So long, therefore, as power is supplied to the elevator motor 0 it will be supplied also to the electro-n'iotive device g and the weighted segment will be held. in its elevated position and the valve (1* held in such position as to cut off the supply of motive fluid to the door operating motor h. The door, therefore, cannot be opened auton'iatically so long as power is supplied to the elevator motor. When, however, the car is to be stopped at a floor which it is approaching, the power will ordinarily be cut oil' before the car reaches the floor and power might therefore be supplied to the door opening mechanism before the ear reaches the floor at which it is to stop. To prevent this action advantage is taken of the action or the armature of the direct current motor 0 while it is slowing down and before it ceases altogether to rotate, to continue the energization of the magnet and therefore, as described above, the energization of the electro-motive device 9 thereby to maintain the controlling valve (Z in position to prevent the application of power to the door operating motor. 'When, however, the armature of the elevator motor 0 has slowed down to a predetermined degree, it will cease to energize the magnet g sufficiently to hold its armature andthe circuit through the door controlling electro-motive device 9 will therefore be opened and the weighted segment Z will be permitted'to act to shift the valve cl so as to supply power to the door operating motor h, provided also the car is positioned approximately at the level of the floor so that the latch Z shall have released the weighted segment as already de-' scribed.

it will be understood that various changes in details of construction and arrangement can be made to suit different conditions of use and that, except as pointed out in the accompanyin g claims, the invention is not restricted to the particular construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention: I

l. TllOCOll'llJllltllllOIl ot a door having an arm, a slide, means to support the slide for reciprocating movement, operating devices for the slide, a spring pressed arm pivoted on the slide adapted to engage the arm on the door and having a secondary arm extended therefrom, and a fixed bar with which said secondary arm is engaged in the initial movement of the slide to cause the door engaging arm to move into operative position.

2. The combination of a door, a door operating motor in operative relation with the door, a source of power connected to the motor, a device to control the supply of power to the door operating motor, means to'opcrate said device, means to prevent operation of said device, and means to release said preventive means.

3. The combination of a door, a door operating. motor in operative relation with the door, a source of power connected to the motor, a device to control the supply of power to the door operating motor, a weighted means connected to said device to operate the same, means to prevent operation of said weighted means, and means to release said preventive means.

4:. The combination of a door, a door operating motor in operative relation with the door, a source of power connected to the motor, a device to control the supply of power to the door operating motor, a three armed lever having one arm Weighted, an operating connection from another of the arms of the lever to said device, a latch pivotally mounted on the third arm of the lever, a detent to be engaged by the latch, and means to release the latch.

5. The combination of a door, a door operating motor in operative relation with the door, a source of power connectedto the motor, a device to control the supply of power to the door operating motor, a three armed lever having one arm weighted, an operating connection from another of the arms of the lever to said device, a bell crank latch pivotally mounted on the third arm of the lever,

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a detent to be engaged by the latch, an arm operatively connected With the bell crank latch, and means to offer resistance to the movement ofsaid arm, whereby in the initial movement of the three armed lever the latch released and full movement of the three armed lever is permitted.

6. In an elevator, the combination of a car, means to operate the car, a door, door operating devices, means mounted on the earto determine the operation of said devices, means acting normally When the car comes to rest to prevent operation of such determining means, and means located at each floor to permit the operation of such determining means only when the car is at a floor level.

7. In an elevator, the combination of a car, means to operate the car, a door, door operating devices, means on the car to control the operation of said door operating devices, means on the car to prevent operation of said devices, and means at each floor to release said preventive means.

8. In an elevator, the combination of a car, means to operate the car, a door, door operating devices, means on the car to determine the operation of said door operating devices, means on the car to prevent operation of said controlling means, and means at each floor to release said preventive means.

9. In an elevator, the combimu'ion of a car, means to operate the car, a door, door operating devices, means on the car to control the operation of said door operating devices, a wei 'hted means on the car to operate said controlling means, a latch to prevent operation of said last named means, and means at each floor to eitect release of said latch.

10. In an elevator, the combination of a car, means to operate the car, a door, door operatmg devices, means on the car to control the operation of said door operating deling means, a latch pivoted on the third arm,

a detent to be engaged by said latch to prevent movement of the three armed lever, an

arm pivoted on the car and operatively connected with said latch, and a resistance device at each floor level for cooperation, With said arm whereby in theinitial movement of the three armed lever the latch is released to permit full movement of the three armed lever.

11. In an elevator, the combination of a.

car, a door, door operating devices, means to hold the door operating devices out of opera tion, a main elevator motor, means to cut off the supply of power to the motor, and means operative with the movement of the car after power has been cut off from the motor to prevent l'elease of the door operating devices until the car comes substantially to rest.

12. In an elevator, the combination of a car, a door, door operating devices, an electro-motive device to hold the door operating devices out of operation, a main elevator mo tor, means to cut OK the supply of power to the motor, an electro-magnetic device enen gized by the movement of the motor utter power has been cut off and connections controlled by said electro-magnetie device to continue the supply of current to said electro-motive means to prevent the release of the door operating devices until the motor comes substantially to rest.

This specification signed this 11th day of January, A. D. 1927.

HAROLD V. MCCORMICK. 

